Adjustable injector



June 20, 1944.

D. G. GRISWOLD 2,352,094

ADJUSTABLE INJECTOR Filed March 10, 1942 III/ I 4 J4 Patented June 20, 1944 2,352,094 e a I ADJUSTABLE INJECTOR v Donald- G. Griswold, Alhambra, baht, assignor to Clayton Calif. 1

Manufacturing Company, Alhambra, v

Application March 10, 1942, Sa No. 434.139 I.

oolaim cries-472) The present-invention relates to an injector and more particularly to an adjustable injector. One of the principal objects ofthe invention is to provide an injector in which, the rate of 110W of the operating medium may be" regulated manually as desired in order to control and vary the rate of injection of the material picked up and propelled by the injector. Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable injector adapted to be operated by water under pressure and used with apparatus in which a liquid medium is to be injected by the injector.

A further object of the invention is to provide a variable injector forum with apparatus requiring periodic regeneration, such as water softeners, filters, etc. A still further and more specific object of the invention is to provide an adjustable injector in a fluid distribution unit of the type disclosed and claimed in my copending application; Serial No. 382,803, filed March 11, 1941, and'entitled ,Fluid distribution and control apparatusfand which application is a division of my Patent 2,243,815, granted May 27, 1941 Other and further objects ofthe invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which. I

Fig. 1 illustrates an adjustable injector for general use constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates a'njadjustable injector'associated with a 'fiuid distribution apparatus for use with awater softener; and

V Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3'3 of Fig; 2 v f 7 Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the injector comprises a body or housing 10 having a-series of axially spaced, concentric threaded. openings ll, I2 and l3 0f relatively different diameters or sizes. The delivery'tube Mh jof the injector" is enlarged and threa'ded at one ,end..l thereof and is insertable injthe body ID from the end thereof having the threaded opening 13. The delivery tube l4 may be tightened in place'jin the body lllfby a, suitable spanner wrench (not shown) engaged in recesses IE to screw the en-' larged portion l'5 tightly against a shoulder l1; It will be understood that the-jplainexterior of the tube M has a tight'fit 'in'thesurrounding portion of the body "I. The delivery tube 14 is provided "with a s'ubstantially conical bore or orifice J l8 wh ich functions in a well understood manner. -A-s'e'tiond tube or nozzle [9 is eir'teriorly threaded and is received in theintermediate threaded opening I'2 of the body 10. The tube 19 is also provided with recesses 20 for engagement'b'y a suitable spanner wrench to tighten said tube against a shoulder 2| formed in said body. A'conic'al orifice'22-is formed in thetube I9 in axial alignment with the delivery orifice l8 in the tube, the walls of the orifices converging toward each other, as shown. A chamber 23 is formed in the body In between the adjacent surfaces "of the injector tubes l4 and I9 and communications witha pipe-"24 connected-to a source of supply of the material 'to be injected by the injector. Ifthe injector is usedwitha water-softeningapparatus, the p'i'pei24 may'i'be connectdwith a brine supply tank (not shown);

An end plug-25 is threaded into the largest opening l3 and a gasket 26 is interposed between a flange 21 on said-plug andthe'end surface of the injector housing l0 to provide a leakproof seal. A chamber 28 is'thus formed'betweenf the adjacent faces of the plug- 25"and the "tube l9. The chamber 28 isconnected' to a-source 'of'iiuid under suitable pressure by means of apip'e 29;

If the injector is used with a water softener;

the' pipe'29'may be connected to'a rawwater line Knot-shown) under pressure.

'The rate of flow of: operating fluid from the chamber 28'into thenozzle orifice 22-is controlled in the present injector by an'adjustable' needle valve element 30 disposed in the chamber 28 and having a conical head portion '3l withsurfaces complemental to those of the orifice22. The ad justable needle 30 is provided with a reduced threaded portion '32 engaged with cooperating threads 33 in the plug 25. The needle 30is further provided with a reduced plain stem portion -34 which projects toa 'point"exteriorly of the plug 25. Leakage from the chamber:- 28 .past the stem 34 is prevented by a packing 35-00mpressedby a gland mounted in one endof, the plug 2 5. The extremity ofthe-stem,34-carries-a knob 31 whereby the position of ,theconical head 3| ;can be readily-adjustedwithrespect'to the nozzle 22. Theknob3'l may be securedto the stem ;34.. in any suitable manner. It is to be noted; however, that, withth e ipresent'construction the knob 3,1,.is mounted upon-theflstem 34 after the-stem has beenassembled and packed in the plug.25.

The foregoing arrangement provides a rela tively simple injector. construction in which jthe tubes [4 and I9 are readily mounted; infthe body ll'through the op'ening I 3 and-in which the am ing itself is later closed by" the plug 25'. I 'I'h'u's, the

is introduced through the pipe 29 into the chain ber 28 and passes through the nozzle 22,; across the chamber 23 and into the delivery orifice l8 at; high velocity. In passing across the chamber 23 a vacuum condition is produced in said chamber and the suction created thereby tends to draw a liquid through the pipe 24 into the chamber 23 where it is picked up by the rapidly moving stream of water or steam and carried into the delivery nozzle l4 to be discharged there.- from into the particular apparatus with which the injector is associated. :The volume of the water or steam passingthrough the orifice 22 can be varied manually as desired by adjusting the, needle valveelement 30 relatively to said orifice. The threadedstem 32 enables a very close or minute adjustment ofthe injector to be made. i I

The injector is particularly useful in connection with water softeners and like apparatus, inasmuch as it enables the rate-of application of the brine to the zeolitejbed to becontrolled, and, furthermore, avoids possible excess dilution of the brine by, the injecting water. By the use of the present injector thedesired concentration of the-brine can be maintained whileutilizing-raw water as the injecting medium.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a fluid distribution unit of the type disclosed in my patent, supra, and claimed in my. copending application-Serial No. 382,803, supra... The fluid distribution unit comprises a housing or casing 40 and six flow control valves, all of which neednot be shown for the purposes of the present invention, A raw watersupply pipe 4| i connected to one side of the casing 40 and a pipe 42- is connected to the upper end of saidcasingand provides a-connection between the'fluid distribution unit and a water softenertank ;(not shown). The casing 40 is provided with a continuous. passageway 43 which leads from the. inletat the'raw water pipe 4| to a point under a seat'l for a diaphragm valve (not shown): Another diaphragm valve (not shown) is associateduwith a seat 5 and still another diaphragm'valve 3?- (see Fig; 3) is assoe elated with the valve: seat3. A chamber 3 for fluid under pressure is;provided' above the valve 3- in the cover plate 40 ofv the housing 40. op erating fluidis admitted andexhausted from the chamberi throughpassages 3, 3 for the purpose of controlling. "the closing and opening of the valve '3. It will e ap arent from Figs; 2 and 3 that when flowisobstructedthrough the seats I and 5 andpres'sure fluid 'is exhausted from the chamber 3", the valve 3 i raised from its seat by the pressureof the" raw yvater in the passageway 43 and said'water will then now from said passageway into a chamber 44 in thecasing 40 arranged outwardly of and alongside the passageway 43. The valve seats. land 51,. when unobstructed, cooperate with their associated valves (not 7 shown) vto perform certain functions fully e q ed n m P tentnd ap i ti a stively, supra, and which functions need not be described herein.

The housing 40, like the injector housing II], is provided with three concentric, axially spaced, threaded openings 45, 46 and 41 of progressively increasing size. A delivery tube 48 is mounted in the smallest opening and is provided with a plain circular orifice 49. The orifice 49 can be made conical, of course, if desired, and extend in a manner similar to the orifice 18 described in connection with Fig. 1. A second tube 50 is mounted in the intermediate threaded opening 45 and i provided with a conical orifice 5|, the surfaces of which converge toward the orifice 49.

'An' adjustable needle valve element 52, somewhat similar to the needle valve 30 of the previously described injector, is associated with the orifice 5| to vary the flow of water from the chamber 44 into said orifice. The needle valve 52 is mounted in a plug 53 having a portion engaged in the threaded. opening 41. Th general com struction of the plug. 53. is similar to the plug and further description is, therefore, believed unnecessary.

.Theinjector shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is preferably provided with a screen 54 disposed between the plug 53 and the injector tube 50. One end of the screen may be soldered to the adjacent end of the injector tube 50. and its opposite end may b received in-anannular groove 55 formed in the end of the plug 53. I g I The injector tubes 48Yand 50 may be provided with recesses 56 and 51, respectively, for engagement by a spanner wrench whereby the tubes can be tightened. in place. The flange 58 of the plug 53'may be made hexagonal to facilitate securing the same in place. Leakage between the flange 58 and the adjacent surface-of the casin 40 isprevented by a-gasket 59.. a The chamber 44 will be observed to lie between the plug -53and the tube 50. A second'chamber Gillies between the adjacent faces of thetubes 48 and 50 and communicates through an opening 6| in the-casing with a pipe 62. connected with a brine tank (not shown) The operation of the injector shown in Figs.'2 and 3 .is similar in principle to that shown in Fig. .1, but it will be noted that the impelling water and brine discharged from .the orifice 49 emerge into a passage 63 in the housing 40 and can enter the pipe 42 and thus be introduced into a softener tank to regenerate the bed. .The screen. 54, of course, prevents any solids in the raw water from entering either theinjector-tubes or the softener tank. V The arrangement-shown in Figs.- 2' and 3 not only affords the convenience andeconomy of a built-in injector unit, but also makes it possible to better control the rate of admission of the brine'into the brine tank and the relative dilution thereofby' theimpellingwater. v

I It will be understoodthat various changes and modifications in the injectorsshownherein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof'the annexed claims. g .;I claim: s l. An adjustable injector comprising: a housing having three axially spaced openings of progressively smaller size; an injector tubein each of, the. two smaller. openings; a plug mounted in thelargest of saidqopenings, said injector tubes being arranged to form a chamber therebetween, and said plug and the adjacent injector tubebe ing arranged to form a second chamber there! between; means for connecting saidfirst men tioned chamber with a source of fluid to be injected by the injector; means for connecting said second chamber with a source of operating fluid under pressure; and adjustable means carried by said plug and extending into said second chamber for controlling the rate of flow of operating fluid from said second chamber into said adjacent injector tube.

2. An adjustable injector for use with a water softener comprising: a housing having three axially spaced threaded openings of progressively smaller diameter; an injector tub in each of the two smaller threaded openings; a plug mounted in the largest of said threaded openings, said injector tubes being arranged to form a chamber therebetween, and said plug and the adjacent injector tube being arranged to form a second chamber therebetween; means for connecting said first-mentioned chamber with a source of brine to be injected by the injector; means for connecting said second chamber with a source of raw water under pressure; a needle valve threadedly carried by said plug and including a head portion extending into said second chamber for controlling the rate of flow of pressure fluid from said second chamber into said adjacent injector tube; and a knob exterior of said plug operatively connected with said needle valve for adjusting said head portion relative to said adjacent injector tube.

3. An adjustable injector comprising: a housing having three axially spaced openings of progressively smaller size; an injector tube in each of the two smaller openings; a plug mounted in the largest of said openings, said injector tubes being arranged in said housing to form a chamber therebetween, said plug and the adjacent injector tube being arranged in said housing to form a second chamber therebetween; means for connecting said first-mentioned chamber with a source of fluid to be injected by the injector; means for connecting said second chamber with a source of operating fluid under pressure; a needle valve carried by said plug, said needle valve comprising a head portion extending into said second chamber for controlling the rate of flow of pressure fluid from said second chamber into said adjacent injector tube, a threaded portion engaged in a threaded opening in said plug, and a plain stem portion having an extremity projecting exteriorly of said plug; a packing gland carried by said plug arranged to prevent leakage of operating fluid from said second chamber along said stem; and means carried by the extremity of said stem for adjusting said head portion relative to said adjacent injector tube.

4. Injector means for use with a water softener comprising: a hollow body; a delivery tube in said body and a plug mounted in said body in spaced relation to said delivery tube; a nozzle in said body between said delivery tube and plug, said nozzle and delivery tube having aligned orifices, said body having a chamber between said nozzle and delivery tube for the reception of brine to be injected by the injector and also having a second chamber between the plug and said a needle valve carried by said plug adjustable axially in said second chamber for varying the rate of flow of said operating fluid through said nozzle.

5. Injector means for use with a water softener comprising: a hollow body; a delivery tube in said body and a plug mounted in said body in spaced relation to said delivery tube; a nozzle in said body between said delivery tube and plug, said nozzle and delivery tube having aligned orifices, said body having a chamber between the nozzle and delivery tub for the reception of brine to be injected by the injector and also having a second chamber between the plug and said nozzle for the reception of raw water under pressure; means providing a passageway in said body for conducting said raw water to said second chamber; a diaphragm valve operatively associated with said passageway for controlling the admission of raw water into said passageway for flow to said second chamber; and a needle valve carried by said plug adjustable axially in said second chamber for varying the rate of flow livery opening being in alignment and said needle valve being aligned with said nozzle, said body having a chamber between said nozzle and delivery opening for the reception of brine to be injected and also having a second chamber between said nozzle and said threaded opening for the reception of raw water under pressure; means providing a passageway in said body for conducting raw water to said second chamber; and valve means in said hollow body operatively associated with said passageway for controlling the admission of raw water into said passageway for flow to said second chamber, said needle valve being adjustable axially in said second chamber for varying the rate of flow of said raw water through said nozzle to thereby vary the rate of injection of said brine.

DONALD G. GRISWOLD. 

